Lightning-rod-point support



Ndv. 4 T924.

I E. C. REA

LIGHTNING ROD POINT SUPPORT Filed Sept. 11 L922 Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES C. REA, OF DES MO'INES, IOXVA.

LIGHTNING-ROD-POINT SULPPORT.

Application filed September To all whom a may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST O. REA, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of lowa, have invented a certain new and useful Lightning-Rod-Point Support, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a lightning rod pointsupport of simple, durable and inexpensive construction peculiarly adapted for supporting a lightning rod point on the ridge of a tiled roof build ing.

Heretofore it has been quite difiicult and expensive to mount a lightning rod point on the ridge of a tiled roof house, and it is my purpose to provide an inexpensive and eflicient support for holding the point rigidly on the tile and also for'supporting the cable.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects con templated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a tiled roof house equipped with point supports embodying my invention.

Figure 2 shows a sectional view of a tile with my support installed thereon.

Figure 3 shows a detail, sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 1 shows a slightly modified form of the device employed for supporting the cable on the tile.

On tile roof houses, which have a ridge, it has heretofore been diflicult to support cables and lightning rod points, because of the shape and nature of the material.

In Figure 1 of the drawings,Ihave shown a structure indicated by the reference character 10, having a tiled roof. The ridge tiles 11 usually have in cross section the form of an inverted V, which from top to bottom ordinarily have a reverse curve in outline, as shown in Figure 2.

It has been very difficult to mount a point or cable on these tiles and the custom has been heretofore to drill holes through the tile and mount a plate or supporting member on tile by bolts or the like. The drilling is difficult for it must ordinarily be done on 11, 1922. Serial No. 587,530.

the houseand is slow and tedious and expensive.

It is necessary to support the points rigldly in upright position and also to support a cable, so that electrical communication between the point and cable may be absolutely insured.

I have provided a simply and easily in stalled device for mounting the point on the ridge tile 11, comprising a flat strip of copper 12, having generally the form of an inverted V and shaped in the factory to s n-ugly fit the tile.

This copper strip has at its lower ends inturned flanges 13 adapted to fit snugly under and engage the lower edges of the tile, as shown in Figure 2.

The copper strip has suflicient resiliency, so that its lower ends may be sprung apart for purposes of installation, and so that when installed, it will snugly grip the tile and remain in position.

For supporting the point 14 having the sharp top 15, I mount the point 1 1 in a hole 16 in the upper central portion of the strip to receive the lower end of the point 1%, which is flattened, as at 17, or as a plate underneath the strip 12.

A copper bracket 18 has the form of an inverted U with the point 1 L extended through its upper closed end and with its lower ends parallel with the members of the strip 12 and riveted thereto as at 19.

On one side of the strip 12 near the lower end thereof, I rivet a flat copper strip 20 shaped to fit the strip 12, having at its lower portion an outwardly and upwardly curved pair of tongues or fingers 21.

The conducting cable 22 is placed in the channel formed by the fingers 21. The fingers 21 are then bent tightly around the cable for gripping and permanently holding it.

Vhere it is desired to carry the cable out to the end of a gable or of a roof, and it is not desired to put a point near the end of the roof, the point is omitted and the bracket 18 is omitted as shown in Figure 4.

My holder is manufactured in the factory and thus can be made rapidly by a manufacturing process and can be made of exactly the proper shape and size. On the job, it can be quickly and easily installed.

The lower ends of the strip 12 are simply pulled apart.

('3 Ind The device is placed over the tile and the flanges 13 are then slipped under the edges of the tile, whereupon the point 14: will be.

firmly and rigidly held in position under all conditions.

This device efiects a very substantial sav ing in rodding a house or other building, not only in the time and labor necessary, but also in that it avoids breakage of tiles. This breakage frequently occurs where it is necessary to drill holes in the tiles for fastening point supporting means thereto I claim as my invention:

1 1. A device of the class described for supporting lightning rod equipment on a tile, comprising a conducting strip of somewhat resilient material having the form of an inverted V and shaped to fit the outside of a ridged tile, the ends of the device being provided with inturned flanges, and a cable holding means, comprising a conducting strip secured to the outside of said first strip and having a curved member adapted to receive a cable.

2. A device of the class described for sup porting lightning rod equipment on a tile, comprising a conducting strip of somewhat resilient material having the form of an inverted V and shaped to fit the outside of a ridged tile, the ends of the device being provided with in-turned flanges, and a cable holding means, comprising a conducting strip secured to the outside of said first strip and having a curved member adapted to receive a cable, a point secured to the upper portion or" said first strip, and an inverted U-shaped bracket receiving said point above said first strip and having its arms secured to the outer sides of said first strip below the central portion thereof.

Des Moines, Iowa, August 30, 1922.

ERNEST C. REA. 

